The
Boston Harbor Watersheds Water Quality & Hydrologic
Investigations: Fore, Mystic, Neponset & Weir River
Watersheds Report summarizes the results of water quality testing and
hydrologic investigations in four of the five major watersheds
that compose the Boston Harbor Watershed. (What is a watershed?)
In
2002, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) sought outside contractors to conduct water quality and
hydrologic investigations in the Boston Harbor Watershed, with
the goal of restoring designated uses as called for under the
Federal Clean Water Act. The project was initiated under and
funded through the Massachusetts Watershed Initiative (MWI),
using state environmental bond funds.
As
defined by the state of Massachusetts, the Boston Harbor
Watershed consists of smaller, hydrologically separate
watersheds, each of which drains to the Boston Harbor. These
include the Mystic River Watershed to the northeast of
Boston, the Neponset River Watershed to the southwest,
the Fore River Watershed to the south, the Back
River Watershed to the southeast, and finally the Weir
River Watershed to the extreme southeast. Notably omitted
from the state-defined Boston Harbor Watershed is the Harbor's
other major tributary, the Charles River, and its watershed.
To
maximize the benefits derived from limited funds, the DEP
selected a coalition of nonprofit organizations to carry out
the project, using a volunteer-based water quality monitoring
strategy. The coalition included the Neponset, Mystic, Fore
and Weir River Watershed Associations, with the Neponset River
Watershed Association (NepRWA) serving as fiscal agent for the
project. This collaborative matched the funding available from
the DEP with volunteer time, in-kind laboratory analysis, and
other in-kind services and contributions from private donors
to substantially expand the scope of accomplishments.
The
four resulting reports are collected here to form this overall
water quality assessment and action plan for the Boston Harbor
Watershed. This report summarizes the results of water quality
and hydrologic investigations and recommends actions needed to
restore natural resources and achieve water quality standards
in the study area.
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the Boston
Harbor Watersheds Water Quality & Hydrologic
Investigations: Fore, Mystic, Neponset & Weir River
Watersheds Report:
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